CHESHIRE student Ruth Clemens found herself in a bit of an embarrassing situation this week. She tried on a pair of size 16 jeans in H&M only to find that they wouldn’t fasten on her - despite being a size 14. Rather than let this experience get her down, Clemens took to social media to point out the lunacy of the situation.

And, if we’re all being honest, it’s a case of been there, done that. I don’t know how many times I’ve stood in a changing room, trapped inside a dress or a pair of jeans, limbs in places they shouldn’t be, feeling myself getting warmer and warmer. Total panic sets in. There have been occasions where I have contemplated calling the sales assistant in to come and cut me out.

Having finally released myself from the offending item, I have quickly scuttled out the changing room, barely making eye contact with the poor girl on the door before muttering something about ‘just leaving it’.

Am I a weird size and shape? Not really. At 5 foot 1 and a size 8, I should - in theory - be able to find things to fit in just about any shop. (Okay, so the legs are usually too long, but I expect nothing less).

This is how it feels when you find jeans that fit you properly

So, why is it, then, that I can happily purchase a pair of jeans in New Look but barely get a leg in in River Island? Why can I find the perfect dress in Quiz but feel like a sack of spuds in Dorothy Perkins? What is going on with our high street?

And it’s not just jeans and it’s not just me. I can barely find a bra the same size in two different shops. Or dresses, work trousers or heels. I don’t change shape when I move from one shop to the other, do I?

Men are also reporting a problem with sizing these days. Jeans, jumpers, shirts … They’re all over the place. For some reason, Topshop expects men to be giraffe-shaped on top, but with saggy backsides to fill their oddly wide-hipped jeans.

Marks & Spencer have long been the target of complaints and have recently been criticised for giving in to male ‘vanity sizing’ - i.e. the actual size of the item is up to two inches wider than the size on the hanger.

Even shoes have become a problem of late. I regularly hear women say “I’m a 5 in flats but a 4 in heels,” or “I can’t order shoes online because I’m different sizes in different shops.” Where does the madness end?

A dress from Quiz that actually fits, hurrah!

In my teenage naiveté, I used to get upset whenever I had to go up a dress size in a shop. Now, I only care that it fits. Which usually means taking two or more sizes of the same item in to the changing room. Do I care? No. But should it really have to be this way?

Is there not a standard template where a size 10 equals so many inches and a size 12 equals another so many inches? I realise that shops now manufacture and import their goods from all over the world, therefore different factories will produce different garments. But I really do think it’s about time that the powers that be took a bit more control over their products.

After all, it’s only a matter of time before I really do have to be wedged out with butter …